Speech by Minister Desmond Lee at the opening of the Fort Canning Heritage Gallery and the Enhanced Spice Garden

Aug 26, 2022

A very good afternoon and thank you for joining us at Fort Canning Park today. For those of you who recall, not too long ago we marked the Bicentennial of Singapore, and where you are today would, I believe, have been the place where people would have waited before they went on their tour of the Bicentennial Show. At the end of the Bicentennial Show, we asked people to select what are attributes that they felt resonated with them, having seen an exhibition on 800 years of Singapore’s history.

Now indeed, the Fort Canning Park’s history is closely intertwined with the story of Singapore. And over the last 700 years and more, Fort Canning Park has stood witness to important milestones in our nation’s history. It was the seat of power for Malay Kings in the 14th century. In 1822, it became the first botanical and experimental garden in Singapore – where the British experimented with cultivating economic crops such as cloves and nutmeg that later became mainstays of the Singapore economy and spice trade. In the 1860s, a military fort was built on Fort Canning Hill, which continued to serve as an important defence stronghold for the British in the region through World War I.

Today, Fort Canning Park sits in the heart of Singapore’s civic district. As a beloved space for arts and culture, it adds vibrancy to the area, and its lush greenery provides valuable respite from the hustle and bustle urban life. I work nearby, and from time to time, to escape the city, go to the greenery of the forest, look at the archaeological dig, and also take in and soak in the greenery.

Fort Canning Masterplan and Phase 1 Enhancements

We have made various enhancements to the park over the years. And in 2018, we launched a masterplan to rejuvenate Fort Canning Park – by bringing its rich history to life and making it an attractive recreational destination for all Singaporeans.

Following the first phase of enhancements under this masterplan, we opened the Fort Canning Gardens in 2019. These comprise nine historical gardens at the park, where we restored and curated landscapes from many years ago – such as the Pancur Larangan, also known as the ‘Forbidden Spring’, which reimagines the baths used by the noble ladies of the royal court of Singapura in the 14th century, and the Farquhar Garden, named after Major-General William Farquhar who commissioned and compiled natural history drawings of the unique wildlife he encountered in the Malay Peninsula. Some of the wildlife species that Farquhar found noteworthy are captured through ‘living paintings’ in giant frames in the Garden.

We also improved the accessibility and connectivity both within, as well as to and from Fort Canning Park, by putting in place covered escalators for easier access to Fort Canning Hill and by pedestrianising some of the roads.

These enhancements have enabled more visitors, of different ages and abilities, to enjoy Fort Canning Park and learn more about Singapore’s history.

Phase 2 Enhancements – Fort Canning Heritage Gallery and Enhancements to Spice Garden

Today, we are happy to open the new Fort Canning Heritage Gallery and enhancements to the Spice Garden, which include the new Spice Gallery. These are part of the second phase of our enhancements under the Fort Canning Masterplan.

Fort Canning Heritage Gallery

The new Fort Canning Heritage Gallery charts Fort Canning Hill’s history and the important roles that it played in Singapore’s story, from the 14th century until today. Through five themed zones, visitors can look forward to learning about the strategic importance of the Hill. From serving as the centre of governance for Malay royalty and colonial governors, to housing military installations and telecommunications facilities that connect Singapore to the rest of the world. Some interesting items to look out for as you browse the Gallery include precious archaeological artefacts from the 14th century, as well as military paraphernalia. These have been unearthed in various sites across Fort Canning Park.

The Gallery is located here in the Fort Canning Centre, where we also held the Singapore Bicentennial Show in 2019. We have repurposed content from that Show into a cinematic experience for our Gallery.

I would like to give special thanks to Dr John N. Miksic, Professor Kwa Chong Guan, and Associate Professor Goh Geok Yian, who are amongst our local archaeologists and historians. Without their expertise and knowledge, we would not have been able to design such immersive exhibits.

In conjunction with the opening of the Heritage Gallery, NParks has also collaborated with the Society of Chinese Ceramics Studies (SCCS) to present an upcoming exhibition, ‘Kaleidoscope in Clay’. This exhibition will be held here in the Fort Canning Centre, at the gallery on level 3. It will showcase over 140 pieces of Chinese ceramics belonging to its members, who are alumni of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). This is the first exhibition organised by the SCCS. The exhibition will open its doors to the public from today – you can potentially be the first visitors, with a preview showcasing 12 specially selected pieces from different historical periods in China. The full exhibition will open from 7 October. Admission is free, so do come and take a look!

Enhancements to the Spice Garden

Next is the new Spice Gallery, which is an extension of the Spice Garden. It is built over the former pedestrian ramp and underpass across Canning Rise, the Spice Gallery showcases the history of the spice trade in Singapore and the importance of Fort Canning Park in promoting Singapore as a hub for spice production and trade. As visitors walk down the ramp, they can learn about spices and their uses through a series of life-sized artworks and interactive panels. At the underpass itself, you can learn more about the history of the spice plantations in Singapore. There are replicas of a spice provision shop and a local kopitiam featuring oral interviews with spice traders. You can also enjoy a diorama of the Singapore River waterfront set in the 19th century, where shipments of spices passed through Singapore.

In addition to the Spice Gallery, colleagues at NParks had earlier enhanced the existing Spice Garden with new water features and other landscaping, and extended the Spice Garden to cover Canning Rise, which has been pedestrianised since 2019. This creative use of existing spaces has increased the public’s enjoyment of the Spice Garden. This Garden, which is now close to 3,200 square metres, features more than 180 varieties of plants, making it the largest collection of spices and herbs here in Singapore. These include herbs and spice trees such as gambier and pepper, which were grown as commercial crops even before the arrival of the British here in Singapore.

We would like to thank Nomanbhoy & Sons for their support for the Spice Gallery through the Garden City Fund. They have been in the spice business for over a century – over 100 years!

Festival at the Fort

To celebrate the opening of the Fort Canning Heritage Gallery and enhanced Spice Garden, NParks is holding the third edition of the “Festival at the Fort” in conjunction with the Singapore Night Festival this weekend. The “Festival at the Fort” was launched back in 2018. In this year’s edition, visitors can look forward to a variety of exciting events, including movie screenings, guided tours, game tours and children’s craft activities.

Launch of “Fort Canning Park: Heritage & Gardens” Book

On this note, I am also pleased to launch a new book titled “Fort Canning Park: Heritage & Gardens”. Produced by NParks with the help of various history and archaeological experts, the book features the history and heritage of Fort Canning Park, and the design concepts and beauty of each of the nine Fort Canning Gardens. Readers can also read and learn about the fauna, heritage monuments and buildings of Fort Canning Park.

Future Enhancements

Our work on the Fort Canning Masterplan does not stop here. We will continue to make further enhancements to improve the visitor experience at Fort Canning Park. For example, we will revamp the playground at Jubilee Park next year.

We hope that with all of these enhancements, Fort Canning Park will become an even more beloved green space for all Singaporeans. At the heart of the city, many people find it a beautiful respite of greenery, but also go back to the past and remember Singapore’s origins. I would like to thank colleagues at NParks, all our partners, experts, well-wishers, for your hard work on this project. It has paid off, I’m sure Singaporeans will enjoy the gardens, enjoy its history, and this work-in-progress will continue. And we look forward to you continuing to work with us on this.

Thank you, stay safe and have a great day ahead.